Wheel mount for carpet sweepers



Feb. 24, 1948. B. THIELE 2,436,460

WHEEL MOUNT FOR CARPET SWEEPERS Filed Aug. 1, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. 4 BERTA OL'D 279/545.

v ATTORNEY.

Feb. 24, 1948. B, HE; 2,436,460

WHEEL MOUNT FOR CARPET SWEEPERS Filed Aug. 1, i941 2 Sheer,s--Sheer 2 A3415: f iii;

ATTORNEY.

BY 7 w Patented Feb. 24, 1948 WHEEL MOUNT FOR CARPET SWEEPERS Berthold Thiele, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to E.

R. Wagner Manufacturing Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application August 1, 1941', Serial No. 405,003

Claims. 1

This invention relates to an improvement in carpet sweepers, and more particularly to an improved way of mounting and combining the floor wheels and the rotary brush so that the brush automatically takes the most efiective position for sweeping the rug or carpet over which it is propelled.

In a conventional type carpet sweeper the brush is mounted high enough for the thickest carpet. By exerting pressure on the handle the sweeper case and with it the brush is brought to the proper sweeping level, which the operator has to feel" and maintain for each individual carpet to assure efiective sweeping. That means that on a thin pile carpet much more pressure must be applied to the handle of the sweeper than on a thick pile carpet.

In the present invention the brush moves downwardly about twice as fast as the case when pressure is applied to the handle. In other words, only about half the pressure and half the downward movement of the case are required to bring the sweeper to the proper sweeping level compared with the conventional type sweeper. This makes the sweeper much more sensitive. In most cases, the pressure on the handle, required to overcome the resistance which the carpet presents to the travel of the sweeper, is enough to bring the sweeper to the proper sweeping level. The present invention provides for this desirable action in a highly simplified construction and one in which the brush is flexibly or yieldably mounted.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a carpet sweeper of this character and having these advantages, and which is simple, compact, and closely organized in structure, reliable, efficient, and noiseless in operation, susceptible to easy and convenient manipulation, and adapted to be manufactured with economy from materials and by means of facilities readily available.

Other objects and advantages reside in certain novel features of the construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, which will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a view in top plan illustrating a carpet sweeper embodying the present invention, parts being broken away and parts being shown in horizontal cross section for the sake of illustration;

Figure 2 is a view in longitudinal, vertical, cross section, taken online 2--2 of Figure 1, looking z in the direction of the arrows, and illustrating the brush in its normal or high position;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, but showing the brush in its low position;

Figure 4 is a View in longitudinal, vertical cross Y section taken on line 44 of Figure 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows, and showing the brush in its normal or high position;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 showing the brush in its low position;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view in transverse, vertical cross section taken on line B6 of Figure 4, looking in the direction of the arrows, parts being shown in elevation for the sake of simplicity in illustration; 1

Figure '7 15a view in transverse, vertical cross section taken on line 1-1 of Figure 4 and looking in the direction of the arrows, parts being shown in elevation for the sake of simplicity in i1lustra-.

tion;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view in transverse, vertical cross section, taken on line 88 of Figure '5 and looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 9 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale and in horizontal cross section, taken on line 9--9 of Figure 4, with parts shown in elevation for the sake of simplicit in illustration.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral l0 designates generally the main'casing which may be constructed in any suitable manner, and for the sake of illustration is shown as made up of a pair of wooden end plates ll cross-connected by side rails I2 to which they are fastened in any suitable manner. A curved metal casingmember or top l3 provided with a window It completes the construction of the casing 10.

At each end of the casing, an end bracket designated generally at [5 is provided. The end brackets iii are of identical construction and each is constituted of a sheet metalstamping including a body portion l6 having inturned ends I! provided with attaching flanges. i8 secured by screws or other suitable fastening devices I 9 to the wooden end plates ll of the main casing.

A pair of floor wheels 20 is provided at each end of the sweeper, the floor wheels being disposed between each wooden end plate ll of the main casing and the adjacent end bracket l5.

In carrying out the present invention it is essential that the fioor wheels 20 be supported on floating axles, and while various types of floating axles may be employed it is particularly advantageous to utilize floating stub axles2 l There is one such stub axle 2| for each floor wheel 20, and each stub axle 2| has one end sultablysecured, preferably staked or riveted, to a supporting plate 22. For this purpose each plate 22 may have a recess or countersink 23 therein, the floor of the recess being provided with an opening through which one end of the stub axle 2! passes. The end of the stub axle which extends into the recess 23 is riveted or staked over within the recess, as indicatedia'tfl :in' F'igureQ. This same riveting operation may also be :employed'ito secure in :proper position in the assembly a spring retaining washer 25, this being accomplished by providing a collar or shoulder 26 on cthenstub axleand clamping the washer betweenthe shoulder '26 and the adjacent wall of the recess -;'B y providing this structure an annular'sslotsorchanneliZi defined which is adapted to receive-a spring arm,-

as will hereinafter more ciearlyappear. --Each supporting plate 22 is preferably of the shape shown to advantage in Figures 2 and :3 'andhas one end provided with-a slot 28 and its opposite alined guide straps 42. The part of the body portion of each end bracket located between the guide straps 42, and designated at 43, remains in the mean plane of the body portion it of the end bracket 15, and is formed with a slightly elongated vertical slot 44. A slide 45 is fitted in each guideway 4| for vertical sliding movement, each pslide spanning the intermediate por tion 43 of its spring 38 in the socket 36 centers the brush 35 vlend provided with a lreduced and ztapered .extension or-tail 29.

The .body portion .ofzwreach end bracket .is :;provided with bearing pads siD'Eand-M *for each :aX

vformed by pressing iorninwardly :offsetting vappropriate-areas of the b;dy -portion :16 of each end bracket 15. Thepurposeof therbearing zpads is to reduce =thetfrictionalseontact between the supporting plates 22-sandnthe rendbrackets 'l5, thereby renderingotheaaction. smoother, :easier,

and-noiseless.

The slotted endrof each-end bracket .22 'iSrLOCK- ably iand slidablyifittedwonvsa.aheaded guide stud 32 riveted to the body portion of theend-bracket,

the slot .28 ofeach supporting plate straddling the. shank of.-the headedstudgand thegheadiof the v stud 32 overlapping.themargins ,of the slot. To iconstrain each supportingplate 22tto rocking and sliding movement on its headed guide stud 32, a.

guide strap 33 is provided rand embraces the re- :duced end .or tail 2-9 --oi-eaeh supporting plate .22.

These :guide1straps33 are preferably and adyantageously provided by putting vertical slots in the body portion 16 of each end bracket 15.

.,-is mounted and by which it is guided, each re- 'duced extension or tail :29 ,of each :supporting 'plate may have a reduced =area "thereof pressed coutwardly to provide :"a :bearing mad .33 which has @sliding'and rocking contactwith its cooperable guidestrap.

A rotary brush 35 isiprovided formed-at its ends with axial hearing-sockets and 31. In

the socket 35,, atf'leastaa :coilispring. 38 :is provided. Ii desired a ,spring :.36...may also be provided in pocket. 31.. The main :portion. of reachspringfi 8.

ghasianaoutside diameteridess than :the inside xdiameteriof the socket,'*butrthe"inner rend portion whereof is slightly *BIeaterztin-idiameter than :the

inside diameter TDf thenocket 13B rand'is a Iorcefit therein, thereby :to retainxsthe :spring in position i n itSYSOCkfit. r r

"."brush :35 and in the @assembly are disposed in airiving engagement with :the :fioor wheels 2 ll.

. Each :end bracket is "provided with: a verti- {cal centralguideway, :designatedgeneral-ly :at 4 I.

.gfhisgguideway.may-"be, and preferably is, con- ;rstituted by transversely :slotting -spaced portions 7131f the body nortionofithe .endsbraeket :15 at the reenter ihereoiandrpressingioutwardly vertically .-.suppor,ting plate .22, 11118.86 :bearing gpads being ion its axle studs-46, but may be compressed to facilitate assembly and disassembly of the brush with3its axle studs. The axle studs 46 and the bearing sockets 36 and 31 illustrate one convenient way .of providing. journal connections between the-ends of the brush and their sup- ;porting slides :45.

The present invention :proposes to'so interconnect the floating axles of the floor wheels :20 and the vertical adjustable mountings for .the brush 35 that the sweeper automatically takes the "proper sweeping -leve1 without requiring the operator to apply heavy :or laborious pressure to the sweeper handle. :light and-easy manipulation of the sweeper handle is :allthatis required.

For this purposea single spring, designated generally at 50, .is' combine'd "with :each end the curved portion 53 has downwardly extending spring arms-54. Each end bracket ['5 has its body portion i6 provided with an'inturned marginal flange formation it along its upper edge, and in the assemblythe intermediate portions 53 of each spring 5il bear'0r'fulcrum against specially constituted' portions of these flanged formations H5. The portions 5-3 of the spring which bear or fulcrum against the-flanged formations are provided With-a betterbearing area and are held against lateral displacement by retaining lugs 55 integral with the flanged formations l6 and overlapping with 'the springs 50 in'the manner shown 'in the "drawing. The spring arms 54 have their lower portions received in the channels 21 of'the-"s'tub axles 21 and press inwardly and downwardly' pn the stub "axles 2|. The

springs 50 are "strong enough to'sustain the sweeper with the wheels :20 inthe'ir low position i across-the :surface 'nf a'irugior carpet, the springs 50 yield and the supportingplates '22 of the stub .saxles 2l..;rockabout theirheadedtguide studs 32 from the position :shown. in. Figure '2 :to the position shown in Figure 3, or to some intermediate position. when fthistoccursr the wheelsiitii move upwardly relative to the -.casing 1-15 and end headed guide stud secured to brackets l5, and the mounting slides 45, and consequently the brush, are moved downwardly by the lever action of the springs 56 to the position shown in Figures 3 and 6, thereby positioning the brush to more effectively clean the rug or carpet. Usually it is desirable to complete the enclosure of the wheel and brush mountings by providing end cover plates 60. The sweeper is, of course, provided with a suitable handle (not shown), which is connected up in any suitable Way to a bail 6|. The usual dust pans 62 and combs 63 are also provided.

While I have shown and described one con-- struction in which the invention may be advantageously embodied, it is to be understood that the construction shown has been selected merely for the purpose of illustration or example, and that various changes in the size, shape, and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. In a carpet sweeper of the character described, the subcombination of a sheet metal end bracket including a body portion having a pair of bearing pads pressed inwardly therefrom, a headed guide stud secured to the body portion adjacent one of said bearing pads, a guide strap cut from the body portion and offset inwardly therefrom and disposed adjacent the other of said bearing pads, a plate engaging said bearing pads and having one end slotted and interfitted with said guide stud for rocking and sliding movement, the other end of said plate having a reduced extension slidably interfitted with said guide strap, and an inwardly directed stub axle carried by said plate.

2. In a carpet sweeper of the character described, the subcombination of a sheet metal end bracket including a body portion having a pair of bearing pads pressed inwardly therefrom, a the body portion adjacent one of said bearing'pads, a guide strap cut from the body portion and offset inwardly therefrom and disposed adjacent the other of said bearing pads, a plate engaging said bearing pads and having one end slotted and interfitted with said guide stud for rocking and sliding movement, the other end of said plate having a reduced extension slidably interfitted with said guide strap, and an inwardly directed stub axle carried by said plate, said extension having a bearing pad of reduced area in sliding contact with said strap.

3. In a carpet sweeper of the character described, the subcombination of a sheet metal end bracket including a body portion, a headed guide stud secured to the body portion, a guide strap cut from the body portion and ofiset inwardly therefrom, a plate having one end slotted and interfitted with said guide stud for rocking and sliding movement, the other end of said plate having a reduced extension slidably interfitted with said guide strap, and an inwardly directed stub axle carried by said plate.

4. In a carpet sweeper of the character described, the subcombination of an end bracket, a guide stud carried thereby, a guide strap carried by the bracket in spaced relation to the guide stud, a plate having one end rockably and slidably fitted on said stud and having its other end constrained by said strap to rocking and sliding movement on the stud, and a stub axle carried by said plate.

5. A carpet sweeper of the character described comprising a main casing, brackets secured to the ends of said casing, a pair of guiding elements carried by each bracket on each side of the longitudinal axis of the casing, each pair comprising a stud and a strap, a plate slidably and rockably fitted on the stud of each pair and constrained by the strap of said pair to rocln'ng and sliding movement on said stud, a stub axle carried by each plate, floor wheels rotatably supported on said stub axles, a rotary brush having friction pulleys in driving engagement with said floor wheels, said brackets having vertical guides ad- J'acent the ends of the brush, slides fitted in said uides for vertical sliding movement, brush spindles carried by said slides and supporting the brush, and spring means interconnecting the slid and stub axles to maintain the floor wheels in driving engagement with the brush pulleys and spring fulcrum means engaging said spring means intermediate the slide and axles on opposite sides of the brush axis to cause the brush automatically to move downwardly as the floor wheels are moved upwardly relative to the brackets and main casing.

BERTHOLD THIELE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 743,838 Duffy Nov. 10, 1903 798,765 Crossman Sept. 5, 1905 621,639 Drew Mar. 21, 1899 1,800,958 Pullen Apr, 14, 1931 1,663,365 Wise et al Mar. 20, 1928 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 474,817 Great Britain Nov. 8, 1937 

